Bus Service Update 3rd March 2017

Bus Service Update 3rd March 2017

Stagecoach has included Kingswells Village in their 220 Service from 1st May. The X40 service stops on 1st April, so it looks like there will be a break in service. The service terminates at ARI, and a transfer to another service would be required to reach the City Centre. There is NO peak time, or weekend service.

ACC are still working on other solutions which include a subsidised service, and we will have to wait to see the outcome.

The timetable is included here.

Map of Route

Bluebird Proposed Timetables from 1st May 2017

Stagecoach North Scotland is inviting customers across Aberdeenshire and Moray to provide feedback on new bus timetable proposals planned to commence on Monday 1st May 2017.

Proposed timetables for bus services in Aberdeenshire and Moray are all available in the download links below. The company is encouraging customers to review the proposals and share their thoughts, whether in support of the revisions, highlighting any concerns or sharing any other ideas customers may have on services offered.

The new Craibstone Park and Ride (Dyce P&R) could see the introduction of two new services from 1st May 2017 with proposals announced for services 37 and X20 to begin serving the £15.2million facility accessed from the A96. For services 37 and X20 there are two proposed timetables for each – one version operating to the current route and the other operating via the Park and Ride. Customers are invited to give their views on both options for the routes. It is also proposed that service 727 will no longer serve the P&R site from 1st May 2017. This is proposed to instead return to its previous route along Dyce Drive allowing customers to connect to the many businesses and hotels in that area.

Service 80 from Aberdeen Airport to Kirkhill Industrial Estate via Dyce Rail Station is to be withdrawn as a result of low passenger use. It is thought the reduction in passenger numbers on this service is as a direct result in the decline in the oil and gas industry.

Changes to the bus services between Stonehaven and Aberdeen are also proposed from 1st May with an amended and more consistent route through Portlethen. The frequency between Portlethen and Aberdeen will be revised to every 20 minutes Monday – Saturday. An hourly service is proposed for Sundays. Customers in Stonehaven will also benefit from the introduction of new X7 journeys between Stonehaven and Aberdeen which increases the frequency of journeys between Stonehaven and Aberdeen to three buses per hour Monday – Saturday (previously 2). Local services in Stonehaven will also be revised.

Service X17 is proposed to serve more of the expanding Prime Four Business Park in the morning and evening peaks from 1st May 2017. The introduction of peak journeys around the business park will make bus travel a more attractive option to those commuting to Aberdeen’s only world-class business park.

A revised network for Elgin is also being consulted on with service 33 returning to the previous route offering cross-city connections from Lossiemouth to Pinefield/Manitoba via Elgin. Service 33 will begin serving the areas currently covered by service 31 which is proposed to be withdrawn from 1st May. Services to Burghead are also proposed to change with service 32 being withdrawn but being replaced by service 36 connecting Burghead to Elgin and Dufftown. Service 36 will no longer serve Forres, Kinloss or Findhorn from 1st May. However for customers travelling travelling between Elgin and Forres, it is proposed that there will be 3 buses per hour Monday – Saturday. It is also proposed that service 30 will be withdrawn without replacement due to extremely low passenger use.

Mark Whitelocks, Managing Director, Stagecoach North Scotland said: “We offer a comprehensive network within Aberdeenshire and Moray and our proposals for 1st May come on the back of work we have been doing recently to look at opportunities to improve our reliability in the face of growing congestion, taking into account feedback that we have had on our current services from our customers as well as analysis on the use that our current services have.

“What our customers, and potential customers, think about our proposals is important to us. Following on from the success of public consultation events that we have held in the Highlands, we wanted to give our customers in Aberdeenshire and Moray the same opportunity to comment on our proposals ahead of our plans being finalised and registered. We will be grateful for customers to provide their comments before 10th March.”

Proposals include –

Aberdeenshire
• Improvements to bus connections between Aberdeen and Stonehaven. Service X6 will be replaced with new X7 journeys, operated by Stagecoach Bluebird. These will be offered in addition to the X7 journeys operated by Stagecoach East Scotland. Service 7A/7B/7C will be replaced with a simplified 7/7B service – as part of this change the route in Portlethen and Stonehaven will be modified to be more consistent.

• Westhill – Aberdeen service X17 will become a 15 minute frequency at peak times, and a diversion to Prime Four Business Park will be introduced in the peaks.

• Some early morning and late evening journeys on services 10 and 35 to be withdrawn in response to low passenger use currently.

• Service X18 will be replaced by service 217, 218 and 220.

• Inverurie – Aberdeen service 37 will be revised to a frequency of every 30 mins Monday – Friday. There are two proposals for this service – option A operates on the current route and Option B operates via Craibstone Park & Ride. Customers are encouraged to provide feedback on their preferred timetable.
• Alford – Kemnay – Aberdeen service X20 will see some minor timing revisions. Journeys will begin serving Kintore. Like with service 37, there are two proposals for this service – option A operates on the current route and Option B operates via Craibstone Park & Ride. Customers are encouraged to provide feedback on their preferred timetable.
• Aberdeen Airport service 727 will be revised and will no longer serve Craibstone Park and Ride. There are two proposals for this service – one operates on the current route and the other details the timetable for when Broad Street will close for redevelopment.
• Service 80 – Kirkhill Industrial Estate to Aberdeen Airport will be withdrawn due to low passenger use.
• Service 66 – Peterhead – Stuartfield will reduce in frequency.

Moray
• Service 10 and 35 – as above.
• Service 11/11A will be revised to operate every 30 minutes.
• Service 30 will be withdrawn due to extremely low passenger use.
• Service 31 will be withdrawn and replaced by service 33.
• Service 32 will be withdrawn and replaced by a revised service 36 allowing customers to connect to the New Elgin retail area.
• Service 33 will be revised to operate a 20 minute frequency from Lossiemouth to Pinefield and New Elgin via Elgin. The section of route from Lesmurdie Road to Newmill Road will be withdrawn due to low passenger use.
• Service 36 will operate to a revised route to replace part of withdrawn service 32. The section between Elgin and Forres will be withdrawn. Bus travel between Elgin and Forres can be made on services 10/11/11A.
• Service 34 and 38 will not be revised from 1st May.

The company is holding information events throughout Aberdeenshire and Moray, inviting customers to come along, to view the timetables and speak to local staff. Events are planned to take place in Aberdeen, Portlethen, Inverurie, Westhill and Elgin.

Aberdeen
St Nicholas Square, Aberdeen
2nd March 2017, 10am – 4pm

Garioch Area Bus Forum
(organised by Aberdeenshire Council but representatives from Stagecoach will be in attendance to answer any queries relating to the proposals from 1st May)
Westhill Academy, Westhill
2nd March 2017, 7.30pm – 9pm

Portlethen
Asda, Portlethen
7th March, 1pm – 6pm

ElginElgin St Giles Shopping Centre
7th March 201, 9am – 5pm

InverurieTesco, Inverurie
8th March , 10am – 2pm
At the events customers will be able to pass their feedback and gain answers to any questions regarding the proposed schedules.

For those unable to attend the above events, the proposed timetables are now available using the download links below, all feedback is welcomed to nscotmarketing@stagecoachbus.com. All feedback should be submitted no later than Friday 10th March 2017.

For alternative services between Aberdeen and Stonehaven, see Services 7B, X7

Buses will operate every 20 minutes between Aberdeen and Portlethen. Buses will serve Portlethen by ASDA, Portlethen Academy and Berrymuir Road.

Service 7 Aberdeen – Stonehaven

This service will be retimed. Buses will operate between Aberdeen and Stonehaven hourly. Most buses will not serve Spurryhillock off peak.

Service 7A/B/C Aberdeen – Portlethen

This service will be replaced by new Services 7/7B

Service 10 Inverness – Elgin – Aberdeen

This service will be revised.

To take account of the low level of use being made, some early morning and late evening buses will be withdrawn.

The last journey from Aberdeen to Elgin will operate as Service 10B and be routed via Blackburn, Kintore and Inverurie Old Chapel Road.

Service X17 Aberdeen – Westhill – Elrick

The frequency of this service will be altered to operate every 15 minutes for most of the day.

Service X18 Aberdeen – Westhill – Echt or Alford

This service will be withdrawn.

For alternative facilities between Aberdeen and Westhill, see Service X17

For alternative facilities between Aberdeen and Alford, see Service 218

For alternative facilities between Kingswells and Westhill, see Service 218

For alternative facilities between Aberdeen and Echt, see Service 217

Service 35 Elgin – Macduff – Aberdeen

As very little uses is being made of them, some early morning and late evening buses will be withdrawn.

On Sundays, again to low numbers using the service, the frequency between Banff and Elgin will be reduced to every two hours

A number of other minor changes will be made including:

The 0825 Mon – Fri Aberdeen – Banff will commence from Oldmeldrum

The 1435 Mon-Fri Aberdeen – Turriff will extend to Banff

The 1600 Mon- Fri Turriff – Aberdeen will be withdrawn

Service 37 Aberdeen – Inverurie

This service will be reduced to operate every 20 minutes

New Service X37 will provide direct peak buses from Inverurie to Aberdeen for commuters.

Certain late night buses will be replaced by Service 10B

There are two proposals for this service, one is to retain the existing route with the second to serve Craibstone P&R.

Service X20 Aberdeen – Kemnay – Alford

A revised timetable is proposed for this service. Journeys will serve Kintore.

There are two proposals for this service, one is to retain the existing route with the second to serve Craibstone P&R.

Service 59 Northfield – Balnagask

This service will be revised so as to operate every 10 minutes or more frequently for most of the day Monday to Friday.

Service 218 Aberdeen – Westhill – Alford

This service which operates under contract to Aberdeenshire Council will replace Service X18 and will operate to a timetable specified by them. Certain trips will require a change of bus at Elrick. Within Aberdeen City, buses will observe limited Stops.

Service 220 Elrick – Echt

This service which operates under contract to Aberdeenshire Council will replace Service X18 between Westhill (Broadshades) and Union Square via Kingswells. The timetable will be reduced to that specified by Aberdeenshire Council.

Service 727 Aberdeen – Aberdeen Airport

This service will be revised so as to terminate at Aberdeen Airport. Buses will no longer serve Craibstone P&R.

Buses will continue to operate to a similar frequency as present.

Buses will serve Broad street in Aberdeen, however when Broad street is closed buses will operate to a diversion timetable.

Service 80 Kirkhill Ind. Estate – Aberdeen Airport

This service will be withdrawn from 1st May.

Service 66 Peterhead – Stuartfield

This service will be slightly reduced in frequency to improve reliability. Additional buses will serve Maud.

Service 102 Stonehaven – Farochie Road

This new service will operate hourly during the day and will compliment Service 106 to provide a bus around every 30 minutes between Stonehaven and Farochie Road

Service 106 Stonehaven – Forest Park – Farochie Road

This service will continue much as at present. Service 102 will compliment Service 106 to provide a bus around every 30 minutes between Stonehaven and Farochie Road

Service 217 Elrick – Echt

This service which operates under contract to Aberdeenshire Council will replace Service X18 between Elrick and Echt. The timetable will be reduced to that specified by Aberdeenshire Council.

Moray

Service 10 Inverness – Elgin – Aberdeen

As above.

Services 11/11A Inverness – Nairn – Forres – Elgin

This service will be revised so as to operate every 30 minutes from Inverness through to Elgin. This will reinstate a daytime frequency of every 30 minutes between Inverness City and Inverness Airport.

Service 30 Elgin – Spynie Street – Larch Court

This service will be withdrawn.

Service 31 Elgin – Bilbohall – Thornhill – Pinefield Circular

This service will be withdrawn and replaced by new Service 33.

Service 32 Elgin – Burghead

This service will be withdrawn and replaced by NEW Service 36. This will provide a new cross Elgin link to the New Elgin retail area.

Service 33 Elgin – Lossiemouth

This service will be revised to operate from Lossiemouth to New Elgin and Pinefield via Elgin.

The frequency will be reduced to operate 20 minutes during the day time. The section of route from Lesmurdie Road to Newmill Road will be withdrawn due to low passenger use.

Evening and Sunday services will be maintained.

Service 34 Pinefield – Elgin Academy

No change to this service

Service 35 Elgin – Macduff – Aberdeen

As above.

Service 36 Dufftown – Elgin – Forres

This service will be revised so as to operate between Dufftown and Burghead via Elgin

The section of route between Elgin and Forres via Kinloss and Findhorn will be withdrawn without replacement.

For alternative facilities between Elgin and Forres see Services 10/11/11A